Articles of footwear, such as running shoes, typically include an upper coupled to a lower. The upper forms a void within the article of footwear such that a foot may be comfortably inserted into the footwear. The upper further secures the foot in the footwear and provides stability for the foot. The lower, or sole structure, attaches to the upper such that the lower is generally in contact with the ground.
Manufacturing such articles of footwear is a labor-intensive process with many components. For example, the upper may comprise many separate parts stitched or cemented together, whereupon lace holes punched out. The parts of the upper may be formed from many different materials, and as a result numerous processes may be utilized to construct a single upper. Care must be taken throughout to ensure that the resulting article of footwear is actually comfortable to wear.